Machine tool



Nov 26, 1940. A. F. BENNETT ET AL MACHINE TOOL Original Filed Jan. 24, 1938 5 2 w W 1 j m 84 0 8 1 3 1 6 1 e 0. fi m 1 1w N M0 1,//. /nA* a 1 a a Q j M w w Z Z n 1 2 i 2 F 1% Emmi.

Patented Nov, 26, 1940 UNITED STATES MAGHINE TOOL Arthur F. Bennett, West Barrington, and George B. Hirsch, Providence, R. I.', assignors to Brown and Sharpe Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Original application January 24,

Divided and this application June 22,

1938, Serial No.

1939, Serial No. 280,510

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in machine tools, and is herein disclosed as embodied in a cam actuated milling machine of the manufacturing type having a rotary milling cutter, a transversely movable work supporting table, and a cam and follower drive for effecting the reciprocation of the table comprising a cylindrical driving cam, and a follower connected to the table for engagement with a cam track formed in the perpihery of the cam.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide in a machine of the general type described having a reciprocable support and cam actuated driving connections including a rotatable cam drum with a feed and return cam track formed in the periphery thereof, and a follower engaging in the cam track, a novel construction and arrangement of these driving connections which will permit of more accurate operation of the machine and at higher speeds, and which are further constructed and arranged to absorb the heavy strains incidental to starting, stopping and driving of the table from the cylindrical cam in the most efficient manner, and without any tendency to cause rocking or lifting of the table in its ways.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a cam actuated milling machine of the general type disclosed, in which the length of table 30 travel is fixed by the contour of the table driving cam, means under the control of the operator for effecting a rapid and accurate adjustment of the limit of travel of the table and work supported thereon with relation to the cutting tool, particularly in the direction of feed.

With these and other objects in View, as may hereinafter appear, a principal feature of the invention consists in the provision of a slide support for the cam engaging follower which is strongly supported in slide bearings on the machine base, and forms with the cam, a self-contained and self-supporting driving unit which is well adapted to absorb any twisting or radial strains which may be set up between the cam and follower, particularly under conditions of high speed operation, and to impart a smooth, accurately directed driving impulse to the table,

without any tendency to cause rocking or lifting of the table in its ways.

Another feature of the invention relates specifically to the provision of a connection between the table and the follower engaging in the peripheral cam track of the cylindrical cam having means for adjustment to effect an adjustment of the position of the table longitudinally with relation to the follower whereby to effect an adjustment of the limit of travel of the table with relation to the cutting tool particularly at the limit of the feed stroke.

The several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby may be readily understood by one skilled in the, art from the following, description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation oi'a cam actuated milling machine of the manufacturing type; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View illustrating particularly the cam and follower connection including a bar support and the adjustable connection therefrom for reciprocating the work table of the machine.

The machine disclosed in the drawing as embodying in a preferred form the several features of applicants invention, consists of the base Ill having slidably supported thereon a reciprocable work table I2, a vertically extending column I4 forming a'rigid unit with the base I0, and a spindle carriage I6 supported in ways 18 on the column I4 for vertical adjustment toward and away from the table I2. The machine "is also provided with a rotary milling cutter spindle 20 which is supported'to turn on a horizontal axis in bearings carried on the spindle support I6.

For further description of the milling cutter spindle 20 and its supporting and actuating mechanism, reference may be had to applicants copending application Serial No. 186,500, filed January 24, 1938, of which the present application is a division. I

With the construction shown in the drawing, the work supporting table I2 is driven by means of a cylindrical cam IIU rotatably supported in the machine base III, and having formed therein a closedieed and return cam trackjl I2 having the sides thereof sloping outwardly to receive a correspondingly tapered follower H4 which is connected for axial movement with the table. In the illustrated construction, the cam drum I II] is driven continuously in one direction to impart a reciprocatory movement to the table l2 through drivingconnections which include a table motor I24 mounted on the base I0. A worm I2I5 connected to turn with the armature shaft of the motor I24 drives a worm gear I28 secured to a table drive shaft I30 supported co-axially with the cam drum H0. The cam drum II-IJ may be driven from the shaft I30 alternatively at a fast or slow rate through driving connections which include a high speedv driving clutch member I32 keyed to the drive shaft I30, and a slow speed driving element in the form of a worm gear I34. Inasmuch asthesev driving connections form specifically no part of the present invention, and are fully illustrated in the copending application of Englund, Serial'No. 186,575, filed January 24, 1938, of even date with the parent application, no further description thereof is believed necessary. The above description is believed adequate to indicate the general organization of the driving connections for the table I2 which is driven by the cam drum IIO through a distance which is determined by the contour of the cam track I I2, and is always the same.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, a novel and improved construction and arrangement of the driving connections including the cam H0 and follower I I4 is provided which is well adapted to provide added support for the table and to insure a smooth and accurate operation of the table in its ways unaffected by any twisting or radially acting forces which may be set up between the cam and follower during high speed operation of the machine under manufacturing conditions. In accordance with this feature of the invention, the follower H4 is formed on the lower end of a pin IIG supported in bearings I I8 on a shaft or bar support I20 which extends longitudinally in the direction of table movement, and is in turn supported for sliding movement in bearings I2I and I23 on the base I0, these bearings being spaced on opposite sides of the follower II4 beyond the limits of movement thereof in each direction. The shaft I20 is supported against rotational movement by means of splines I25 formed on the shaft which engage with corresponding slots in the bearing I 2| With this construction, it will readily be seen that the shaft or bar support I20, the follower II 4 and the cam drum IIO, all rigidly supported on the base of the machine, provide a selfcontained and self-supporting unit which is specifically adapted and arranged to absorb any twisting or separating strains which may be set up in the cam and follower connection, and eliminates any tendency of these driving connections to cause objectionable vibration or strain of the table on its ways. The shaft or bar support I 20 acts as a secondary support and as an actuating slide for the table, the reciprocatory movement imparted thereto being exactly that which it is desired to impart to the table I2. The bar support I 20 at its left hand end is rigidly secured to a downwardly extending lug I22 on the table I2.

While it is the usual practice in machines of this type having a cam drive for the work support, to carefully adjust the position of the work on the support with reference to these known limits of table operation, in order to secure the desired operative relationship between the work and the milling cutter, it has been found that under certain conditions as, for example, where a cut is being made against a shoulder in the work, this method of setting up the work is inadequate to secure the required nicety of adjustment in the operating relationship between the cutter and the work for the performance of high grade work.

Further in accordance with the objects of the invention to provide driving connections for the tool spindle and work support susceptible of quick and accurate adjustment in accordance with the requirements of the work, the cam actuated driving connections for the work table of the illustrated machine are constructed and ar ranged to permit an adjustment in the position of the table I2 with relation to its driving cam I III which is effective to secure a corresponding adjustment in the limiting position to which the work is moved with relation to the milling cutter during the movement of the table in the direction of feed, without the necessity of relocating the work on the table. To this end, mechanism is provided for adjusting the position of the table I2 with relation to the cam follower H4. The supporting shaft I 20 for the follower H4 is constructed and arranged with a screw-threaded end portion I40 which passes through and is readily slidable within a bore I42 formed in the lug I22, and is held rigidly in position with relation thereto, by means of two lock nuts I44 and I46 screwthreaded to the end portion I40, and arranged for locking engagement with opposite sides of the lug I22. With this construction and arrangement of the operating connection between the follower H4 and table I2, it will be seen that an adjustment in the limit of table movement is readily obtained by backing off one or both of the lock nuts I44 and I46 to produce an axial adjustment of the shaft I 20 with relation to the lug I22 and table I2.

It will beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine tool having a base, a rotary tool spindle and a work table slidably supported for reciprocatory movement on the base, cam actuated driving connections for reciprocating the table including a cam drum rotatably supported on the base and having formed on the periphery thereof a feed and return cam track, and a cam follower engaging in said cam track, a bar support for the follower, and bearings on the base in which the bar support is slidably mounted, said bearings being located on opposite sides of the follower, and means rigidly connecting the table to move with the bar support.

2. In a machine tool having a base, a rotary tool spindle, a work table, and supporting ways on the base on which the table is slidably mounted, cam actuated driving connections for reciprocating the table including a cam drum rotatably supported on the base and having formed in the periphery thereof a feed and return cam track having the sides thereof sloping outwardly, and a cam follower correspondingly tapered for engaging in said cam track, a bar support for the follower, bearings on the base in which the bar support is slidably mounted, said bearings being located on opposite sides of the follower, and a connection between the bar support and the table rigidly connecting the table to move with the bar support.

3. In a machine tool having a base, a rotary tool spindle, a work table, and supporting ways on the base on which the table is slidably mounted, cam actuated driving connections for reciprocating the table including a cam drum rotatably supported on the base and having formed in the periphery thereof a-feed and return cam track, and a cam follower engaging in said cam track, a bar support for the follower, bearings on the base in which the bar support is slidably mounted, said bearings being located on opposite sides of the follower, and a connection between the bar support and the table having means for adjustment to effect an adjustment of the position of the table longitudinally with relation to the follower, whereby to effect an adjustment of the limit of travel of the table with relation to the cutting tool particularly the limit of the feed stroke.

ARTHUR F. BENNETT. GEORGE B. HIRSCH. 

